OK, so today is Ladies Day, but for us
married guys, this is a normal way of life to have nerve ending
jangling …. isn't it ??!!

I was working at school this morning
but I managed to 'escape' to make it down to my favourite cafe –
Sports Club Cafe for pre-match coffee overlooking the two amateur
matches on the Astro Turf pitches outside the Stadium.

I was first into the Stadium and then
followed by Dolma Kanka (Murat Kaya), his son, Anil, Ismet Bey and
then Battle Damaged Kanka Damon.

Gecikondu was full, as always, Maraton
was about half full, and in the away end there was about 50
supporters for the 'local derby' !

It was a pretty tense opening minutes
with both teams trying to exert their authority on the match, but
then in the 6th minute …...

Zero Six for Ankara …...... Gecikondu
released hundreds of blue and yellow balloons and then burst them
together …...... noise …. plus !

It took until the 13th
minute for the game to ignite when a Kizil attacker brought out a
good save from Gokhan, who had replaced regular goalkeeper Bayram
(probably as a punishment for Bayram's silly mistakes last week in
Izmir).

16th minute and a loud
chorus from all the tribunes for Bursaspor (our brother team).

It took until the half hour mark for
Ankaragucu to make their first serious attempt at goal when a great
cross from the right came in from Mehmet Cakir and all the Ankaragucu
forward had to do was tap in, but …......... whoever it was, missed
totally and was made to look ….. I don't want to say the word, but
I will …...... stupid !!!

Just before the half time whistle and
Volkan almost made the breakthrough when his shot found the side
netting.

Half time and Ankaragucu went in
probably the luckier of the two teams. Not a very professional
display ….......... even without the absent Levent !!!

The 2nd half got underway
and Kizil continued to take the game to Ankaragucu as they did
throughout the first half. However, gradually Ankaragucu was
coming back into the match and showing some attacking flair at last.

13 minutes in and Selim Teber had a
great shot which was tipped over by the Kizil goalie. Great shot
and great save.

Half an hour gone in the 2nd
half and it has to be said that Emre receives the Man of the Match
award for the ….. lost count …........time !!! He has been
everywhere, making interceptions and attacking, causing all sorts of
problems, but his good work is not producing the vital goal.

Into the half way point of the 2nd
half and a let-off for Kizil when Serhat's goalbound shot was tipped
over by the goalkeeper for a corner.

15 minutes to go and the Ankaragucu
defence is having to withstand a Kizil surge. It is 'panic
stations' but the defence is holding firm …..... just !

Then with 10 minutes left …..... and,
with those nerve ends jangling, the breakthrough eventually came. A
free kick out on the right which was swung over for Umut to use his
height to nod in. The goalkeeper got a hand to it, but the ball
squirmed over !!!

5 minutes later and it was all over.
A great run down the left by Umut …... looks up …... cuts back
for Yalcin to slide the ball in with a cheeky (or fortunate ?) back
heel !

Up the volume again …..... and …..
nerves back to normal function !

Time for Kaan to almost make it 3 with
a great run down the left, supported by Man of the Match (again !!!),
Emre, but his shot was well saved by the goalkeeper.

Off to tie-up with Maniac Kanka Harun
in the Chopin and celebrate. Damon's assessment of the match (which
I agree with) is that ….... Ankaragucu was crap in the 1st
half which Kizil dominated for periods. However, the 2nd
half was a different Ankaragucu team which started well and gradually
settled into a more attacking mode.

So, a good 3 points to put pressure on
Altinordu and Alanya who will play tomorrow.

Time to celebrate, a win, Ladies Day
…........ and Maniac's daughter, Hazal's, 18th birthday
!!!